Swing on in to Hoosier Park to experience the latest in gaming technology. Tarzan™ is a breakthrough game from Aristocrat that brings the legendary Lord of the Jungle™ to the slot floor. Housed in the award-winning VERVE HD cabinet, it’s the very first title to appear in a gigantic 31.5″ potrait monitor and fully integrates with the ambient lighting, topper effects, 3D panoramic digital audio and Nteractiv LCD buttons.

This game is full of features and contains 5 high-frequency bonus rounds and 4 progressive jackpots. The Stampede Bonus features a herd of elephants randomly throwing a number of bonus scatter symbols above the reels that pay in any direction. The Kerchak Free Game feature multiples all wins by 2, 3, 5 or 10. The Monkey Bonus features a jumping monkey that grabs a symbol on the reel, which turns into a Wild. The Tarzan Bonus features Tarzan swinging through the screen and replaces all random symbols with a Special Wild. The Progressive Wheel Feature allows players to win big progressive jackpots, bonuses, credits or free games. Plus, a chance to win all 4 progressives and up to 7 different wheels. Players are able to spin the wheel on the touchscreen and each spin increases the value of their winnings.

Tarzan has been incredibly popular since its recent release date, and for good reason. It’s Lord of the Jungle top jackpot has been hit an astounding 19 times and has paid out more than $6.4 million! The game has swung into full steam within the gaming community and has already begun racking up the accolades. It has been voted Best Video Slot, Best Penny Slot, Luckiest Slot, Best Slot Graphics and was listed as a top Progressive Slot in the Southern California Gaming Guide “Best Slots Awards”. Additionally, readers of Strictly Slots named Tarzan Lord of the Jungle as a “Favorite Progressive Slot Machine” in the Best of Slots article.

This is one game you won’t want to miss and can easily be found on the main aisle of the casino floor. From state of the art technology to huge payouts, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino is proud to present Tarzan – Lord of the Jungle.

ANDERSON, IND. – March 6, 2013 –Final preparations are underway on the backstretch at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in anticipation of the return of live Standardbred racing. Now in its’ 20^th season, the Standardbred meet will begin on April 2 and offer five days of racing per week through November 9, with a daily post time of 5:30 p.m. EST.

Horseman who have been granted stalls for the meet may begin moving in equipment and setting up stalls on Saturday, March 9^th and Sunday, March 10^th. Horses will be permitted on the grounds on Monday, March 11^th. All horses entering the grounds must have all valid paperwork available before being allowed entry to the grounds. Dormitories will also be available for occupancy on Monday, March 11^th as well.

The racetrack will open for training on Thursday, March 14^th, pending the weather conditions. The first round of qualifiers are slated for Saturday, March 16^th and will be conducted on a Wednesday and Saturday schedule throughout the remainder of the meet. The entry box closes for qualifiers one day prior at 1 p.m.  Condition sheets and stakes schedules will be posted as soon as they become available.

Complete with a compelling mix of fresh design and deep levels of gameplay, Bally’s introduces their newest hit game Sun God. This hot new game boasts a wheel bonus feature which awards players with free spins, free games or a progressive jackpot! Plus, winning never looked better with the hip new Curve platform that puts a hot new face on gaming. The new curved design and digital readouts make this machine a stand out. If style is your thing, this is one game you won’t want to miss!

The first of three exciting features of the game is the wheel bonus feature. In this side game players will spin for three or more scattered sun symbols to be awarded up to 15 free games, credits, or even a jackpot! Thats not all, Sun God employs two Free games to keep players warmed up. Plus, free games award players 2 times their total bet! And, that’s not all. On the top screen, free-game players will work to unlock up to 12 sun symbols that will turn into wilds on the last free game spin. Players will get a second chance for wilds as well with a second free game that randomly disperses wilds. That’s two free games and two chances to win!

Come out to Hoosier Park Racing and Casino to experience a new generation of gaming technology and the thrill of heating up with Sun God. Also, be sure to check back here weekly for more hot game profiles and our new “Meet the Team” series.

Hoosier Park Racing and Casino is all about providing guests with unforgettable thrills, and no one knows a “thriller” better than the legendary Michael Jackson. The game’s designer, Bally’s, has left no stone unturned delivering one of the most epic electronic games to hit the casino industry, The King of Pop. This game that has it all – including many unique features. Bally’s is a perennial powerhouse of game design that has brought you these great new titles: The Sun God, The Moon Goddess and Money Wheel.

The only thing better than the thrill of winning, is the thrill of winning while listening timeless soundtrack! The King of Pop brings all the excitement of live slot machine action plus Michael Jackson hits to keep you grooving into your next jackpot. With comfortable seating and a built in sound system enjoy the best sights and sounds electronic games have to offer.

The King of Pop did not become one of the latest and greatest with good music alone. With a collection of mini-games and added features this machine has plenty to keep you intrigued. Alongside a turntable multiplier bonus spin feature, King of Pop breaks the mold with two themed free game awards: Beat It and Smooth Criminal. With these game specific features, players can cash in on up to ten free games. Throw in the chance of either Moonwalk or Stackable Wilds and the best just got better.

Come out to Hoosier Park Racing and Casino to experience a new generation of gaming technology and the thrill of winning big with The King of Pop. Also, be sure to check back here weekly for more hot game profiles and our new “Meet the Team” series.

Rudy McMillan is Hoosier Park Racing & Casino’s resident food guru and is responsible for orchestrating as many as eight restaurants at any given time. He is not your average office professional and can often be found bumping elbows with Hoosier Park’s front-line employees. A lot of the leg work within the organization falls on him and his two hundred and fifty plus staff. The food and beverage department is the “meat & potatoes” of Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and when there is work to be done, the entire department is on the scene to take it up a notch. Rudy is a strong advocate for team work and his department shares those values. “We work as a team,” he said, “and no one’s ego gets in the way.”

The culture of Hoosier Park’s food & beverage department can be traced back to Rudy’s foray into the business. His first full-time job was as a cook at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, California. His time there would shape his professional agenda as well as create some lasting memories. One of those memories was not so pleasant at the time and could have easily led him down a different path.

While working at the Claremont Hotel, Rudy and his team were preparing for a wedding that included a five-tier cake. The pastry chef had forgotten to install two of the cake’s support pillars and when Rudy went to transfer the cake to a table, it immediately collapsed onto the floor. With no time to spare, the guests were forced to wait outside of the venue until a remedy was found. Much like the Rudy of today, he quickly came up with a solution consisting of free champagne for the guests and a reconstructed wedding cake. Looking back, he laughs at this story, but if it wasn’t for his quick reaction it may not have been quite so funny. Regardless of the outcome, it was scenarios like this that taught Rudy the skills to run an entire department of his own. With real life experiences he can relate to his team members all the way up the command chain, give empathy and earns their respect. Rudy’s motto, “Treat team members with dignity and respect, the same as you want to be treated,” is a testament to his experiences.

Rudy continued to learn and grow in the food industry and soon found himself in a director position for a Holiday Inn hotel in California’s Bay Area. Not long after climbing his way up through the hotel food business, his career took an unexpected change. Harrah’s Casino was buying up hotels in California and Rudy was included in the acquisition. He found himself in the casino food industry and on his way to Reno, Nevada. He spent the next years learning the industry and further honing his skills to meet the needs expected of him. He spent some time in Las Vegas where he experienced one of his most memorable professional experiences working the Jerry Lewis Telethon. The telethon exposed Rudy to a nationally broadcasted event as well as hosting celebrity guests. Rudy’s early years out West built a strong foundation for his profession, but the big city atmosphere and concrete corporate structure were less than perfect in his eyes.

Hoosier Park eventually had the opportunity to bring Rudy in as the director of food and beverage and create the perfect match he had been waiting for. The culture at Hoosier Park’s is more a family than an employer and Rudy is the epitome of that. He is outspoken in support of Hoosier Park’s values and asserts that team members should realize that they are working for a company that truly cares about them and their well being. With a wealth of knowledge from his crash course in Nevada, his humble attitude and a foundation built on painstakingly climbing the career ladder, Rudy McMillan is a cornerstone of Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.

Todd Berendji is Hoosier Park’s director of casino operations and unofficially titled “back-office entertainer”. When he’s not hard at work managing the latest in gaming technology he serves up consistent comic relief for those of us behind the scenes.

 As Todd always says, “Your happiness is my happiness.” A proponent of enjoying life to the fullest, he keeps the atmosphere positive in even the most stressful situations. Todd is not your typical executive and he prefers it that way. You won’t find him in a stuffy office filled with accolades, but rather one with a Ben & Jerry’s bumper sticker that reads, “If it’s not fun, why do it?” In fact, you generally will not find Todd in his office at all. He is much more comfortable out with his team making decisions from eye level and spreading good energy. Whether it’s a practical joke, prank or just a good conversation, Todd strives to uplift those around him. Todd says, “Watching team members laugh, have fun and entertain guests is my greatest reward.” He brings out the extrovert in others as well and now receives his fair share of office pranks in return.

However, a director position at Hoosier Park isn’t all fun and games. With more than 2,000 slot machines and e-table games, there is always work to be done. Todd has brought in many new cutting-edge technologies as well, making Hoosier Park on par with the best casinos in the world.

While he thoroughly enjoys his work here at Hoosier Park, he had to earn his right to be crowned back office entertainer. Before Todd was even born, his career path was set in motion. His father was a prominent hotel and casino designer in Las Vegas and had a lot of influence on Todd as he grew up. His father did not plan for him to follow in his footsteps and had actually put down a deposit for him to attend law school. As Todd came of age, he decided that the gaming industry was a better fit for him and joined a management training program for casino resorts. Todd quickly caught on and soon found himself in the heart of Las Vegas.

Some of his biggest career achievements came at that time when he assisted in the openings of The Mirage, Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas and Wynn Macau. While Todd thrived within the large corporations, he enjoyed the humbler culture he found with Wynn.

His experience opening casinos and his preference for a more grassroots company is what ultimately landed him in Indiana at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. “The culture that has been cultivated and the closeness of the executive team reminded me a lot of Wynn Resorts when they were still relatively small and still growing: very family like and close,” Todd recollected.

Todd’s experience proved beneficial with the successful opening of the casino and its management to date. While he has had a lot of great experiences and met many good friends along the way, Todd Berendji is happy to call Hoosier Park Racing & Casino his home.

The weather is cold outside, but it is heating up here at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino with great food, great drinks and intense gridiron action. Hoosier Park is football-fan central this season with the advent of the new Bud Light Sports Zone. Every Sunday since the season’s kick off, fans have touched down in the Terrace Lounge for live football action on the lounge’s six big-screen televisions. Come enjoy all the sights and sounds of game day without the hassle. The Sports Zone makes viewing even easier with the NFL Redzone channel, allowing fans up-close views of all the end zone action from around the league. Plus, the Terrace Lounge is a Wi-Fi hotspot allowing fans to track fantasy stats without missing a play. To top it off, the Sports Zone Bar & Grill offers up stadium eats like spicy wings, zesty chili dogs, yard-long drafts and more!

Bud Light Sports Zone is the ultimate destination for live football action this season and now includes Thursday night games. Now open two-days-a-week, the Sports Zone is sure to satisfy even the most avid superfan. Whether you support our Boy’s in Blue, or just love the game of football, come out to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino’s Bud Light Sports Zone to get in the game.

Hoosier Park Racing & Casino’s 2012 Thoroughbred meet came to a close on Saturday, October 27^th awarding Fernando De La Cruz with his first leading rider title at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The Peruvian jockey won 68 races to finish nine victories in front of Hoosier Park’s two-time defending leading jockey winner, Leandro Goncalves.

De La Cruz earned more than $1.3 million in purse earnings during the 64-day meet.

In the midst of his best season to date, De La Cruz has already posted over $3.1 million in purse earnings and ridden 155 winners in 2012. He has also posted four consecutive seasons with purse earnings toppling the $2 million mark. In 2011 alone, De La Cruz bankrolled over $3.5 million in purse earnings with 170 trips to the winner’s circle, many of which were accumulated between Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs.

De La Cruz has relocated to Churchill Downs before heading to Tampa Bay Downs for the winter. De La Cruz palns to return to the Indiana circuit in the spring when racing resumes.

“I’m very thankful to all the trainers that gave me the chance to ride some great horses,” De La Cruz noted. “Indiana has been very good to me and my family and I can’t wait to get back.”

In the trainer ranks, Tom Amoss won an allowance optional claiming event with Senor Rain on the closing day card to edge out three-time Hoosier Park leading trainer, Gary Patrick by one victory. With 25 trips to the winner’s circle, Amoss saddled the winners of over $506,000 in purse earnings throughout the meet to take home his second leading trainer title at Hoosier Park.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Amoss has nine previous leading trainer titles to his credit with titles at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs and the Fairgrounds.

Amoss, 50, has started more than 10,700 horses and has won over 2,400 of those starts. For 12 years in a row, he has won more than 100 races, and in 2011 Amoss sent out a career-best 163 winners, bankrolling over $4.3 million in purse earnings. The multiple Graded Stakes winning trainer has recently worked as a racing analyst for TVG and ESPN.

Amoss was followed in the standings by Gary Patrick with 24 wins and Walter Abner, who ended the season with 23 wins.

Gary Patrick didn’t go home empty-handed as he took home the leading owner trophy with 22 victories. A native of Ohio, the trophy notched Patrick’s third leading owner title in the 18-year history of Hoosier Park. Patrick also earned leading owner honors during the 1998, and 2011 seasons. Henry Mast’s Mast Thoroughbred, LLC finished second with 11 wins.

This Veteran’s Day Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will be doing more than ever to pay tribute to our U.S. armed forces. With many employees and friends of the company having served in the military, Hoosier Park plans to give back throughout the holiday weekend. A proud supporter of Indiana veterans and national soldiers alike, Hoosier Park will be offering discounts, free food opportunities and a very special all-day trip to the Veteran’s Day Memorial Service and Parade in Downtown Indianapolis.

With a military ID, our esteemed veterans can enjoy $5 in free slot play deposited on their Club Centaur account as well as 25% off at the Big Deli and Prime Harvest Buffet all holiday weekend. Then on Sunday, November 11th, a complimentary breakfast will be offered in the Big Deli from 7 to 10 am. Hoosier Park will then host a special Veterans Day Tribute on the casino floor at 11 am following breakfast.
The annual Veteran’s Day Memorial Service and Parade in Downtown Indianapolis is on Saturday, November 10th. The event begins at 10:30 am on the north steps of the Indiana War Memorial with a Musical Prelude by the 38th Division Band of the Indiana National Guard. This display of patriotism will include music from World War I, II, and the Korean War eras. To conclude the Memorial Service, the Indiana Air National Guard will perform a fly-over display just above the Indiana War Memorial. At 11:45 am, the Veteran’s Day Memorial Parade will commence. More than 80 military units will parade through Downtown Indianapolis from Michigan and Pennsylvania Streets to Meridian and North Streets. This Veteran’s Day event is sure to be one to remember and Hoosier Park aims to make sure no soldier misses the day’s great events.

At 8:30 am Saturday, a bus will be stationed outside of the casino to provide roundtrip transportation for those wishing to enjoy the service. With a military ID, Hoosier Park will provide the transportation and a free box lunch for each veteran and their guest. After the conclusion of the parade, the bus will be waiting to return the group back to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino in Anderson. There is no purchase necessary and there are no costs associated with this half-day event. Pay respects to our fallen soldiers and give thanks to our enlisted with this all-inclusive trip to the Veteran’s Day memorial Service and Parade this November.

It was a good day in Indiana for jockey Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. as the multiple Graded Stakes winning jockey captured the Grade II $200,000 added Indiana Oaks and the Grade II $500,000 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Oct. 6. It was the third consecutive year a jockey has won both of Hoosier Park’s signature Thoroughbred events.

Grace Hall under Brian Hernandez, Jr. dazzled fans with an impressive five and three-quarter length win in the 17^th running of the Indiana Oaks. The duo covered the one and one-sixteenth mile race in 1:41.85 over a track that was upgraded to good after a muddy start for the day.

Grace Hall wasted little time getting control of the petite field of five, breaking alertly to secure a stalking position on the outside of early pace-setters, Eden’s Moon and Rafael Bejarano. Wine Princess and Shaun Bridgmohan stalked the pace from the inside in third as they hit the first quarter mark in :23.67. Eden’s Moon continued to call the shots down the backside as the tightly packed field reached the second station in :47.31. Grace Hall was given the green light by Hernandez around the final turn as she ranged up to take the lead. The three-year-old Empire Maker filly put her raw talent on display as she began to open up on the field in the stretch. Grace Hall continued on to the wire to finish five and three-quarter lengths in front of Wine Princess. Eden’s Moon held on for the third place finish. As the heavy betting favorite, Grace Hall returned $3.80 for the victory.

“I was just the passenger today,” Hernandez, Jr. noted after the race. “This was all her. When I called on her down the stretch she went on pretty easily. I’m very thankful to have picked up this mount, she is just a really great filly and I think she showed that here today.”

Trained by Tony Dutrow, Grace Hall notched the third win of her 2012 campaign as she sent her seasonal bankroll over $600,000. Owned by Michael Dubb, Stuart Grant, and Bethlehem Stables, LLC, Grace Hall has now won six of her ten lifetime outings while bankrolling over $1.2 million in purse earnings for her connections. The multiple graded stakes winning filly was rebounding off a fifth place finish in the Grade I Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 18.

Hernandez Jr. followed suit in the very next race as he got Neck’N Neck home a winner in the 18^th running of the Grade II $500,000 Indiana Derby for trainer Ian Wilkes.  Far back early, the three-year-old colt unleashed a powerful move around the final turn and continued on to win by three-quarters of a length with a final time of 1:42.71.

Unhurried out of the gate, Neck’N Neck got away a worrisome tenth in the eleven horse field. The heavy betting favorite, Fed Biz and Rafael Bejarano broke alertly from post four to get the first call. Junebugred also broke alertly under Terry Thompson to duel for the early advantage along the inside through a first quarter in :23.60. Tritap and Shaun Bridgmohan stalked the pace from three wide as Second City and Marlon St. Julien also ranged up to press the pace down the backside. Fed Biz and Junebugred continued to exchange for the lead through the second quarter in :48.32. The pace began to quicken as the tightly knit field negotiated the final turn while Neck ‘N Neck began to make his move, rallying five wide on the outside. Fed Biz continued to led as the field turned for home in the one and one-sixteenth mile contest.

With the Fed Biz tiring on the front, Neck’ N Neck accelerated coming off the final turn and pressed on to the wire to finish in front of late charging Bourbon Courage. Fed Biz held on gamely for the third place finish. Neck ‘N Neck returned $11.20 to his backers.

“I talked to Ian before the race and he said he wanted to see him off the pace,” winning rider Hernandez, Jr. noted. “I was a little worried because we were hung kind of wide, but turning for home I was pretty confident in my horse. Every time I asked him for more he went on, once he got the lead he waited for them a little bit but he took back off and felt really good at the wire.”

The Flower Alley colt was looking to bounce back and did after a sixth-place finish in the GI Travers Stake at Saratoga on Aug.25. Owned and bred by A. Steven Miles, Jr., Neck ‘N Neck notched his third win of the season in nine starts as he pushed his seasonal bankroll over $387,000. The homebred colt has now four of 13 lifetime starts and over $420,000 in purse earnings.